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History of Rolle Town

Exuma was settled in or around 1783 by American loyalist fleeing the Revolutionary War.

Rolle Town, located on Great Exuma Island in the Bahamas, traces its origins to the late 18th

century. During this period, the British Crown granted approximately 7,000 acres on Exuma to Denys Rolle, an Englishman who established multiple plantations, including the area now known as Rolle Town.

Denys Rolle introduced enslaved Africans to work on his plantations, cultivating crops such as cotton. His son, John Rolle, 1st Baron Rolle, inherited these estates and continued their operation. By the time of emancipation in 1834, Lord Rolle owned about 400 enslaved individuals on Exuma.

Following the abolition of slavery, Lord Rolle allowed the freed individuals to remain on his land.

They established settlements, including Rolle Town, Rolleville, Mount Thompson, Steventon, and

Ramsey. These communities became known as the Lord John Rolle Commonage Estates, lands passed down to descendants of the former slaves and held communally.

The surname “Rolle” remains prevalent in the Bahamas, reflecting the lasting impact of Lord Rolle’s estates on the region’s cultural and familial heritage.

Today, Rolle Town stands as a testament to the resilience and heritage of its inhabitants, with landmarks like the Rolle Town Tombs offering glimpses into its historical past.